GRADING CREAM AND MILK 309 



Grading should also stimulate careless patrons to im- 

 prove the quality of their milk and cream. Indeed this 

 would certainly follow in many cases, unless the patron 

 is so situated that he might patronize a competing 

 creamery which is willing to accept his cream on a par 

 with the best cream. 



Number of Grades. In general creamery practice two 

 grades will perhaps be found to give better satisfaction 

 than more grades. A number of the larger creameries, 

 however, make use of three grades. 



Basis of Grading Cream. Cream is ordinarily graded 

 on taste, smell and acidity. In some cases the grading 

 is done wholly on the basis of acidity, in others it is done 

 wholly by taste and smell. In a few cases frequency of 

 delivery and richness are considered. All of the above 

 factors have a bearing upon the quality of cream. 



Where an expert examines the cream, the sense of 

 taste and smell yields the best judgment as to the quality 

 of butter that can be made from such cream. Whatever 

 basis of grading is employed, the sense of smell must 

 always form a part of it. 



The grading upon a basis of acidity alone may result 

 in unfairness, because a fine flavored, sour cream is not 

 as objectionable as a sweet, stale smelling cream. How- 

 ever where this test is employed in conjunction with the 

 sense of smell the results are usually very satisfactory. 



In regard to the frequency of delivery, it is evident that 

 any cream four days old, regardless of how it has been 

 produced and handled, will not make a first class quality 

 of butter. Where cream of this age or older is received, 

 therefore, it can justly be barred from grade No. I, with- 

 out any examination whatever. For this reason the age 

 of the cream should prove valuable as aid in grading. 



